Alien

94 “In space no one can hear you scream.” Perhaps the best tagline of all time? I have finally watched the timeless classic Alien (1979). And well, the movie without a doubt left me absolutely impressed. Now, I completely comprehend the praise Alien constantly gets as it is truly a masterpiece. When talking about the best sci-fi movies ever made, Alien must be in the conversation in my humble opinion. Personally, the absence of any dramatic flaws is perhaps one of the main reasons the viewers enjoy this movie so much. In Alien, not a single technical component gets outshined or on the contrary falls behind. This aspect or should I say meticulousness can be noticed in such classics as The Thing or the original Predator whom I also found to be extremely well-made movies. The overall concept of an impostor sabotaging a group of professionals is intriguing which is probably why the aforementioned movies are incredibly gripping. Therefore, the storyline as well as the script are top-notch. We witness Alien’s full life cycle. Perchance the script acts as the core of the movie that holds everything together. Not that the rest of the aspects are not impressive, but I believe the script is the key element of the movie. Overall, Alien is definitely a slow-burn type of movie as initially the pace was not strong. Nevertheless, I fathom its goal of creating the feeling of something wrong. Moreover, the first 30–60 minutes served as an introduction to not only the main characters, but the plot. Thus, the minimalistic music or the lack of vibrant colors manage to set the mood immediately. The production design, the practical effects, and the score are implausible. Alien’s design is fairly creative and unbelievably unique. However, I still believe The Thing reigns supreme and has some of the most jaw-dropping practical effects ever put on screen. Finally, Ridley Scott’s directing is simply great. His interpretation of an alien in space is indeed masterfully done. As for the performances they are outstanding. Ellen Ripley might be the most badass woman character of all time with Sarah Connor close behind. The way the actors interact with the spaceship makes it seems like they are actually there: it does not feel like the walls are fake props. However, I would have liked if there was more Alien and if the pace was better. Besides the movie is called “Alien” and we only got about 30 minutes of screen-time of it or less. Nevertheless, the fact that I cannot nitpick any more flaws really proves how amazing Alien really is. Alien persuaded me that it is indeed one of the best sci-fi movies of all time period and it left a big impact on me. I am looking forward to Aliens.